Candied Violets

Candied Violets

Gardening in Amberley

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Drying Time: 48 hrs
Total: 48 hrs 10 mins
Servings: 10 servings

Candied violet flowers are an elegant garnish on cakes, custards, ice cream, and other desserts. They look fancy but are incredibly easy to make (you'll only spend about 10 minutes in the kitchen; the rest of the time is just waiting for your crystallized flowers to dry).

Violets (Viola species) grow wild in many parts of the world and in many gardens. You can also use pansies, which are in the same botanical genus. Just stick to the purple ones and avoid those with yellow hues.

Ingredients

  • 20 violet flowers with about 2 inches of stem attached

  • 1 large egg white, beaten until frothy

  • 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

Steps to Make It

  1. Beat the egg white until it is frothy all the way through, but not stiff.

  2. If you have a sifter, put the powdered or confectioner's sugar in it. If not, place the sugar in a small bowl. (You may want to work over another plate or cutting board to make it easier for you to clean up.)

  3. Pick up a violet flower by the stem. Dip the flower into the egg white, twirling it gently to coat the entire flower. Shake off excess egg white.

  4. If using a sifter, sift the powdered sugar over the flower. Twirl the flower stem between the thumb and forefinger of the hand that is holding it so that the flower gets evenly coated with sugar on all sides. Don't worry about candying the stem – you're going to discard it before you get to the finished product.

  5. Place the violet on a paper towel.

  6. Repeat the egg and sugar steps with the rest of the violet flowers.

  7. Transfer the sugared flowers, still on the paper towel, to a shelf in your refrigerator. Be sure none of the violets are touching. Leave them, uncovered, in the refrigerator for 24 hours. As the flowers dry most of the sugar will be absorbed by the egg white, creating a glaze on the petals.

  8. The next day, take the paper towel with the candied flowers on it out of the refrigerator. Let it sit out at room temperature in a warm part of your home for another 24 hours.

  9. Snip off the stems and discard them.

  10. Transfer the candied violets to an airtight container and store at room temperature. Use within 2 months.

Tips

  • You can use this same process to candy other edible flowers.
  • Note that it is the fact that the candied flowers are dried/dehydrated that safely preserves them (as much as it is the sugar).
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
13 Calories
0g Fat
2g Carbs
1g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 10
Amount per serving
Calories 13
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 1%
Saturated Fat 0g 1%
Cholesterol 19mg 6%
Sodium 7mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 2g 1%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 0mg 1%
Calcium 5mg 0%
Iron 0mg 1%
Potassium 10mg 0%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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